Dec 9, 2004

Damn...

Put up your lighters for Dimebag Darrell.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The band Damageplan had just started playing Wednesday night at the Alrosa Villa nightclub outside Columbus when a gunman walked on stage and shot top heavy metal guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott (search) five or six times at point-blank range.

The shooter then turned his weapon into the packed crowd, killing at least two fans who were at the club to see the Texas-based band, formed from the ashes of the legendary thrash-metal group Pantera (search), authorities and witnesses said.

A police officer walked on stage as the gunman held another man at gunpoint, killing the shooter before he could fire again. In all, five people lay dead and at least two others were wounded.

Good on that cop for stopping things before anybody else got killed, but damn...

UPDATE: 1208PM - FoxNews just said that the gunman had Dimebag's brother Vinnie in a headlock and was about to shoot him too when the cop took him out. What the hell caused this mess? I'm still in shock.